ALPHARETTA, Ga. -- "I've done everything from sales to marketing, accounting," said Emily Griffith. But one day nine years ago, long after most people have chosen their life's path, Griffith found a new one.

"I was early in my 40's, and I had no idea I knew how to paint," she said.

Turns out Griffith was a natural, and even though she calls a first painting of her dog primitive, it's still better than most people could ever do.

"The more you paint, the more your eye gets trained," she said humbly.

Almost 1,000 paintings later, Griffith is a renowned painter -- of pets.

"That's what I'm known for is capturing the dog's personality," she said.

Especially when that dog is the dawg -- Ugga. Griffith has painted Uggas 7, 8 and 9.

She also painted actress Tori Spelling's dog, who died.

And she's painted hundreds of not so famous pets, no less adored by their owners.

Summer in the south is officially here! With rising temperatures, it is important to take steps to protect those around us who might be vulnerable to the heat, like our children and pets.

Did you know that we lose heat by sweating? Water literally evaporates into the atmosphere and sucks the heat out of our bodies. Children produce even more heat than adults. This is because they have more body surface for their height. Children are also closer to the ground – and to hot pavement. They can easily become dehydrated or overheated.

ATLANTA -- Have you ever lost a pet? Panic sets in and emotions run high. What to do? First, get calm. Then, take immediate action and follow the tips from lost animal expert Tim Link of Wagging Tales. As a full-time animal expert, Tim has worked with thousands of domesticated animals and their human companions, and he has quickly become the foremost expert in finding missing animals. Tim’s most popular service: finding lost pets — mostly beloved cats and dogs.